Catch me up: HELP markup, RSC budget

• They ranged from requiring NIH to submit a budget request specifically for Alzheimer's research needs, to reauthorizing diabetes research, to the animal drug user fee bill.

What we're watching: Unrelated to the day's business, Sen. Rand Paul said during the markup that he will be objecting to all unanimous consent requests for nominees or legislation in the HELP Committee until he gets documents from the Biden administration related to COVID-19 origins.

• He called on Chairman Bernie Sanders to help him get the documents. "Let's work together on that," Sanders said.

2) The Republican Study Committee released its new budget proposal Wednesday, and it once again calls for converting Medicare to a premium support model.

• It also calls for turning Medicaid into five block grants. However, it drops last year's proposal to raise the Medicare eligibility age.
• Between the lines: No, it's not about to become law, but the RSC budget is always worth a close look as a window into the latest thinking of a big part of the House GOP Conference.

3) The REINS Act passed the House Wednesday, 221-210. That's the bill that would require the House and Senate to approve any "major rule" with a substantial economic impact.

• If anything changes and there's a chance of it becoming law, we'll let you know.

4) The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission both released reports to Congress today.

• MedPAC's notable policy recommendations include capping the payment rate for accelerated approval drugs in Medicare Part B, and promoting site-neutral payments.
• MACPAC outlined an idea for improving the payment system for safety-net hospitals.

5) The FDA wants to propose a rule this summer to clarify that laboratory-developed tests are devices under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

• This is the first time the regulation has appeared on the Biden administration's rulemaking agenda.